Page:Men of Letters, Scott, 1916.djvu/96

70 70 THE AMBITIONS OF SIR JAMES BARRIE getting back to upper earth. He had got separated from his earthly shadow — which had by now gone up to London : he wanted his art to join his body there, and endless were the dodges he employed to coax his genius to go back to mortal ways. One of the best was when he persuaded his mother to come to the edge of his pool and look down. When the reflection of her face touched his art, it gave a great leap and lived gloriously in the upper sunlight for a little. We call that moment Margaret Ogilvy, and still regard it as one of the noblest of his books. Another device consisted of selecting some Thrums character with whom his talent was already familiar, and then craftily sending that character off by train to London. This was done with Rob Angus, the Thrums millwright's lad (you will find the full account of it in When a Mans Single). But, no — the art wouldn't follow. It would only consent to join Rob's story when the characters turned impish — in Noble Simms's room, for instance, beneath that Japanese umbrella ; or among the mad members of The Wigwam. From all the others, the real grown- ups — Colonel Abinger, Sir Clement Dowton, Miss Meredith — his art held obstinately aloof. When he tried to write seriously he only wrote rubbish ; it was when he wrote Tommy-rot that he was great. The sentimental chapters in When a Mans Single are discomfiting even to-day. Rob knew that Mary loved himi An awe fell upon him. "What am I?" he cried, and Mary put her hand in his. "Don't, dear," she said, as his face sank on it; and he raised his head and could not speak. The colonel sighed, and his cheeks were red. His head sank upon his hands. He was young again, and walking down an endless lane of green with a maiden by his side, and her hand was in his. They sat down by the side of a running stream. Her fair head lay on his shoulder, and she was his wife. The